Visiting artist aids in banners

12th annual art fair conducted.

12th annual art fair conducted.

April 06, 2006|AMY GOVERT-LARSON Tribune Correspondent

Boats built of popsicle sticks, tie-dyed pillows and yarn -- yards and yards of the colorful string -- brought guests to the Children's Campus at the Family and Children's Center. The school's 12th annual art fair last week not only included classroom projects, but featured giant banners displaying the organization's five basic lifelong guidelines throughout the Pavilion. Active Listening No Put Downs Truthfulness Trustworthiness Personal Best "Whenever someone walks through here, they are getting a lesson," said Barbara Emmons, principal of School City of Mishawaka's Joint Services Campus Program, an on-site School at the Children's Campus. "You can use your voice, but when you have a visual, and in this case, something tactile, it's a much more meaningful experience," said Emmons, The Children's Campus treats severely emotionally disturbed children, adolescents and their families. The student-designed banners were crafted with the assistance of Joe LaMantia, a visiting artist from Bloomington, Ind. "I love words," said LaMantia. "To see the visuals that these students came up with is amazing." LaMantia's repeat visits to the school over a five-week period were funded through a VSA (Very Special Arts) grant. "I didn't know what to expect," said the self-described collaborative artist. Previously unfamiliar with the Children's Campus, LaMantia said he came to identify with many of the students he worked with. "I've faced a lot of challenges," said LaMantia. "I was fortunate because I had an older brother who was a painter." The creative process offered LaMantia a lifeline. "I knew what the arts had done for me and I only hope my visit has encouraged them." While LaMantia worked directly with the school's upper classmen his technique with yarn and fabric influenced many of the classroom projects also displayed during the art fair. Kyle, a student at the Children's Campus, was one of many who created a self-portrait from string. Each artist first had to sketch their likeness on a piece of cardboard while seated before a mirror, said Kyle, 13. Adding color required the use of double-sided tape. "You make your yarn selections and just stick them on," said Kyle, who spent two days on the project. "My teacher said the darker colors in the background would bring out the lighter colors." The resulting image, a smiling youth with blue eyes just a shade lighter than the image's background, provided enough contrast to recognize Kyle's preferred hairstyle -- blond spikes. "I'd never done anything like this before," he said, offering a shy smile. "It was a lot of fun."